By Xu Zuolan (China Daily)

China's increasing investment in Africa has triggered fear in some Western countries. Accusations that China is looking to become an "imperial power" engaged in "neocolonialism" have mushroomed since last year.

Karin Kortmann, parliamentary state secretary of the German development ministry, has made such accusations. Last November, she warned that "our African partners really have to watch out that they will not be facing a new process of colonization". China had just signed $1.9 billion worth of new trade deals with African countries.

Others have followed suit. This year, on June 7, an article in the International Herald Tribune entitled "Tattered French African empire looks toward China" described China as the successor of France and an imperial power in Chad, saying: "Paris's erstwhile clients, meanwhile, are turning to China."

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Posted by pichu at July 17, 2007 1:08 PM